We are two matchdays into the new Premier League season, but the competitive edge is already being seen. Arsenal, Manchester City, and Brighton are the only teams with a perfect record, all collecting six points.
Brighton are at the top of the league due to their much btte goal difference (+6). Gooners would have wanted their team to be on top; however, Arsenal just winning by a goal in their two games leaves them with a lesser goal difference (+2). It is a concern that Arsenal scored less against teams they ought to be ruthless against.
These narrow wins may give the Gooners doubts that they’ll comfortably beat top sides like Manchester City (+4) when they meet, and they will also have the Champions League to deal with, with the draw for the Group Stages are at the end of this month.
Gabriel Jesus’ injury may have impacted Arsenal’s goalscoring. And if so, Mikel Arteta may need to develop a strategy for his team to score more goals. The league title race this time around could be tighter than ever.
Arsenal doesn’t want to lose the title race again, and having a good goal difference is one way to do so. After the 1-0 Crystal Palace win, Arteta was asked if his team was performing at the desired level, to which he answered, “No, because we have to put the ball in the net more often, especially with the dominance we are having in games.
“But that’s the most difficult thing in football, so if you don’t do that, you have to do the other part, which is be extremely solid.
“We were last week, and we were again today with the chances we conceded. Let’s keep playing better and evolving.”
But one day we will definitely have to find our scoring boots. Scraping through with one-goal wins still give us three points but hardly gives us confidence of a good season ahead…
Darren N
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Agreed. It might be difficult for our attackers to score because most of EPL teams park the bus against us, but our towering players should be able to score in set-pieces
Yeah towering and set pieces again, are you stuck on a kind of loop or something?
It’s just a suggestion to increase our goal tally
Nice question@Angelo
City should have scored more against Newcastle to take them top of the league
“The invincibles” during their time had lots of draws and still won the league. We scored lots of goals in pre season, the goals will come.
I think Arteta is trying to fix the flaws of last season with a better defence since scoring isn’t an issue compared to a good defence. Even top side like MCity still bought a defender.
NForest and CPalace away aren’t easy games. Watch out for NForest and CPalace this season against top oppositions.
Yes. The Invincibles also consisted of tall midfielders and attackers, as compared to the likes of Fabregas, Cazorla and Ozil
We needed more physicality upfront and Arteta tried to fix it in the summer
For now, 3 points is the MOST important variable.
Exactly why we need multiple players in the midfield that can contribute with goals 🙂
I support @gotaniadea, but we need a standing #9, cover up for saka like #Kudus
It is still early days, and Arteta was trying out something new in terms of player positions and tactics.
Hopefully we will get back to our best and play to our strength with players in their best positions.
We have a great squad that finished 2nd to a dominate Man City. We needed to upgrade and reinforce areas, and I feel that Rice has produced as advertised, Timber was a surprise at how quickly he settled and delivered.
Havertz is the lone question mark, and hopefully he will sort himself quickly.
I hope to see our best midfield of Partey, Rice, and Odegaard, and Havertz as a super sub or playing his way into the starting lineup.
The point concerning scoring being the most difficult aspect of the game is debatable.In my experience the creation of chances is certainly equal in importance and in the first two League games this is where we have come up short .I thought we did well when we were reduced to ten men against Palace but the obsession with playing without conventional attacking full backs is impacting on the performance of our wingers and their ability to set up chances.I appreciate the fact that we have just started on a marathon, but unless we create more chances ,the journey ahead could be a difficult one.
It seems to me like Arteta is trying to make them play a very conservative football in which they have to bury chances created quickly and then we will be difficult for opposing teams to score against us.
Let’s see how the season unfolds.
2 wins out of 2 so far. That means job well done.
Now, unto the next one, Fulham on Saturday.
I completely agree, the goals win you the contests. Arsenal should step up to that department faster than expected. And actually doing so makes it easier to finish the game in a relaxed mood. Unlike our last two games resembles a roller coaster.
Unfortunately, it’s defense that wins you titles
Just two games into the season, and an article on us not winning by a huge margin. Two games!!
Seriously?
Well said, Jax! I don’t understand all the talk and finger pointing at certain players after a couple of games. We could have score more at Palace with a little more luck. Palace is a difficult ground and Roy always sets up his teams to defend first and attack later. Can we please just chill?!
The Balogun saga.
TRY the player, and then decide.
He grew up to be an Arsenal player. The Arsenal way, you can feel it in his movements.
Now that you built a full functioning attacking minded team, why don’t you keep your potential cherry on the cake?
Look at his goals, loaned at Reims he has at least three volleys transformed in wonderful goals. Van Persie delivered that way after his 25 years … remind me how old is Balogun again?
He might be the missing piece of Arsenal. A natural striker at ease to shoot and a focal point.
Gabriel Jesus is more of a winger -striker whereas Balogun is the striker.
Having Jesus injured it makes sense to give it a try to this young star.
Financially, Arsenal can get a good amount right now, But,
The Arsenal management might get a whole complete full team of young stars, from keeper to striker, from Ramsdale to … Balogun, talented & performing and this would result in Balogun and the team worth way more.
This is a sane gamble. KEEP BALOGUN.
Second only to City in scoring goals last season, and we have a post questioning our goal rate…. bizarre
Ridiculous comments
Fully agree
2 games gone.
Some people have nothing better to do – so there’s that.
Paul tierney appointed vs fulham smh another 11 vs 12 incoming. He is as crooked as they get.
That’s inappropriate on a public forum.
Is there any good referee in England? None that I know that fans don’t complain about.
Arsenal system lacks fluidity at the moment, Havertz on the left hand side of a new look midfield three, with Rice as the deep lying # 6 with captain Odegaard on the other as a # 8 while the world class Partey at Right back keep Arsenal struggling to get out of gear.
Though this set up gives us overwhelming ball possession, it lacks the fluidity needed to scoring lots of goals.
It’s increasing difficult to score against opponents who freely foul you without repercussion from the referee and the media. ‘Kick them, they don’t like it’ mantra had started to creep back.
I’m glad to see AFC with some resilience and also working well without key players in Gabriel and Zinny
A win is a win, they say. But the article is right, we must start scoring more, not only to ensure victories but also more goals gives a sense of cushion and security if the opposition also manages to score goals. I am sure as the season progresses, Arsenal will score more, but I would like to see more of Trossard and ESR. The absence of Jesus is also a factor in our low scoring because Jesus not only scores but also creates space and opportunities to other attackers.